Electric hub-welding machine



(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. E. HARTHAN. ELECTRIC HUB WELDING MACHINE. No. 556,414. Patented Mar. 17,1896.

in Model.) 3 SheetsjSheet .2.

G.E.HART-HAN-. ELECTRIC HUB WELDING MACHINE.

No. 55 ,414. Patented Ma r. 1'7,' 1896.

\A/WNE EEE;

AN DREW BYGRANAM. PHOTO-LI THO.WASHINGTON. D.C.

3 Sheets- Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

0 E HARTHAN ELECTRIC HUB WELDING MACHINE. v

Patented Mar. 17, 1896.

INVE N T [I R: m/afiaw \A/ITNEISSEEI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. I'IARTHAN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC HUB-WELDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,414, dated'March 1'7, 1896.

Application filed June 20,1891- Serial No. 396,902. No model.)

T0 at 10700710 it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. I'IARTHAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Hub-Welding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric metal-work ing apparatus wherein electricity passed through the work is employed as the heating agent in the welding, forging, upsetting, or other operation.

My invention consists more particularly in improvements in machines wherein one or more contacts or electrodes making electrical connection with the work at one part thereof are adapted to move with the work to and from one or more contacts or electrodes making connection with the work at another point thereof, so as to cause the heating-current to flow from one point of connection to the other. A common type of such machine is the wellknown electric welding-machine wherein the work between the devices making electric connection with it and connected with oppo site poles respectively of the heating source is subjected to pressure for the purpose of forming the weld. Substantially the same organization is used or may be used for upsetting or otherwise affecting the heated metal.

My present invention consists in certain improvements in the general type of machine, and among other things in combining with the one or more work-contacts connected with one pole of the source and movable in a right line toward and from work-contacts of opposite electrical sign suitable means whereby the connection with the source is broken as the electrode or contact moves back and is made as it moves forward to compress or squeeze the section of work to be heated. This portion of my invention is applicable whether connection with the work at opposite sides of the portion of work heated is made by one or more contacts.

My invention consists further in the special organizations and combinations in which this part of my invention is embodied, as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

My invention further comprises a machine of novel construction wherein the work coning-current.

facts or electrodes consist of two blocks or pieces of metal adapted to squeeze the heated work between them for a welding, forging, or other operation by contact-faces,whose planes are transverse to the line of pressure and are combined with suitable means, such as circuit making and breaking contacts, whereby the connection of the movable work-contact with the source is established as it moves up to engage the work and is broken as it moves back, thus leaving a gap in the conducting part of the machine to facilitate the removal and insertion of the work.

My invention consists further in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, some of which especially adapt the machine for use as a hub-welding machine, and which are hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a machine which is adapted to weld two rings or pieces of metal together with the spokes of a wheel in place between them for the purpose of constructing the hub portion of a metal wheel. The two work contacts or electrodes are accordingly suitably shaped or formed to hold the hub portion of the wheel.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the work contact or electrode which becomes one contact for the article to be welded or operated upon and the transformers which supply the heat- Fig. 2 is a part sectional view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. at is a plan of the mechanical holder employed in combination with the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the complete machine. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a hub such as may be welded in the machine.

6 is a copper casting or block which forms one work contact or electrode of the machine and may be properly supported upon a pedestal or standard 7 to take the pressure from the other parts of the mechanism. 1 is the base of the machine sustaining said standard,

and 2 the supports for a top plate 3 on which ports or carries the opposite work contact or electrode 13, which latter projects downward from a casting or support of metal, 12. The two work contacts or electrodes 0 13 connect respectively with opposite poles or terminals of the source or sources of energy employed, and in the particular form of my invention herein shown and described are adapted to squeeze or compress the work between them, and at the same time pass the current into the work by the contact faces or surfaces, the contact planes of which are transverse to the line of pressure.

The work contact or electrode (5 is supplied with electric energy from one or more transformers the secondaries of which connect to said contact (3. In the present case I have shown. four transformer secondaries, consisting of rectangular copper bars or masses of metal l, l, l, and i, massed or assembled with one terminal or pole forming one common terminal with which the copper casting or electrode 6 is placed in electrical connection by being bolted to said secondaries. The secondary bars or castings are split at one side, as at the upper side, in the manner indicated and as well. understood in the art, and are provided with the usual or proper primary windings, which may, as herein shown, be applied in grooves or depressions formed in the sides of the secondary bars. 13y pret erence I employ one common iron core for the four secondaries. This iron core,which passes through all of the secondary bars, is indicated at 5.

The inner terminals of the secondary bars being massed in connection with the electrode 6, the outer terminals should obviously be in electrical connection with the work contact or electrode 13 when the work is to be heated.

The upper contact or electrode 1 3 is temporarily connected with the terminals of the secondaries when it is moved down to engage with the work and is disengaged therefrom when it moves back, so as to leave a gap through which the work may be put in place by means of movable make and break con.-

tacts 25 carried on the ends of arms of the copper casting 1S and projecting downward therefrom so as to engage with combs S 8 S" 8", made from plate copper set into a solid base and bolted to the outer end or terminals of the transformer. The combs are shown disengaged in the position of the apparatus indicated in Fig. 3, and are connected when the upper electrode is down in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The upper contact or electrode may be moved up and down by any suitable means, but by preference I employ a fluidpressure acting at opposite ends of a piston in the cylinder 14:, the piston-rod of said piston being connected to and supporting casting 12.

15 and 10 are the inlet and outlet pipes, .respectively, for the fluid, and 17 is a pistonvalve of any desired construction to control the motion.

18 and 19 are guide-rods, which steady the moving parts and prevent rotation.

20 is one of two tubes which provide for the circulation of a cooling .[iuid in the work-contacts through internal passages therein.

In addition to the parts described I preferably employ, especially when the apparatus is used for hub-welding, a mechanical workholder, (indicated at 10, )which is supported on four uprights 9 i) 9 9bolted to the base. The holder shown is an ordinary wheel-chuck, such as is in common use. The radial arms of the wheel-chuck are bolted to a base-plate, and the traveling shoes 11 11 11 11 ll. 11 11 11 are moved by screws geared at their inner ends to one central ring gear-wheel in an v well-known way, so that all the shoes may be moved simultaneously upon the operation of any one of the screws. The spokes and tires are held in this chuck while the spokes are being secured in the hub, as will presently be described.

The two work contacts or electrodes (3 i are shown as provided with cavities or d epressions adapted to receive the central portion of work, such as indicated in Fig. (3, wherein l3 (1 indicate two collars of a metal hub which are to be welded together with the spokes beween them.

A is the metal hub-box to which said collars are applied or attached.

lVith a machine organized as described in its details the manner of using the same is as follows: The tire and spokes being supported in the mechanical holder or wheel-chuck the box A and the collars 13 C are put in place, the lower collar, C, being supported directly upon the upper face of the contact or electrode (3, while the spokes are in place between the two collars. The upper contact 13 is then lowered, the central cavity therein receiving the upper end of the box A until the contactface of 13 bears upon the upper collar-,B. The upper and lower combs engaging with one an other place the electrode 13 in electrical connection with the one terminal of the source of energy, the opposite terminal of which, as [3, is in electrical connection with the other, so that the two collars B and G will complete the electric circuit and be heated by the current when the same is turned on by the usual appliances. The pressure for welding is applied in the ordinary way to complete the weld.

As will be seen on inspection of Fig. the upper electrode and attachments are given a large movement in order to facilitate the removal of the finished wheel and the insertion of a new one to be welded.

I do not limit myself to the employment of transformers as a means for furnishing the electric energy for heating the work, but preferably employ the same when the machine is organized in the particular way illustrated for the welding of hubs or similar operations.

It will be obvious that the shape of the contact-electrodes 13 0, when the same are ar ranged to compress the heated work between IIO them, may be modified as desired according to the nature of the work to be welded, forged or otherwise operated upon.

It will also be obvious that contacts for making and breaking connection between the source of energy and the work-contact 13 may be varied but I prefer to employ the construction shown for the purpose of making good connection.

Other modifications in the shape or relative disposition of the parts may be made without departing from the invention herein claimed.

The particular organization shown, 110wcver, furnishes a compact and efficient ma chine for hub-welding or for forging or simi lar operations where the work is somewhat bulky and it is desired to provide a current of great volume and at the same time to permit the ready insertion andremoval of the work.

I do not lay claim broadly to a transformer whose secondary consists of a central pole and a series of poles of opposite polarity ranged around it; nor do I claim such a secondary with a single core, nor with a single core and a series of primary coils, but certain improvements adapted for use in connection with such transformer or other suitable source of heating-current.

hat I claim as my invention is- 1. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination substantially as described, of a work-electrode adapted to engage the work and pass a heating electric currentinto or through the same, a source of heating electric current with one terminal of which said electrode is connected, and a second workelectrode movable in a right line toward and away from the first and carrying with it a circuit making and breaking contact which makes connection with an opposite terminal of the source and establishes the circuit for the heating-current when the movable workelectrode advances, as and for the purpose described.

2. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination substantially as described, of a work-electrode, two or more sources of heating-current having their terminals of one polarity forming one common terminal with which said electrode is in connection, a second work-electrode movable in a right line toward and away from the first, and circuit making and breaking contacts carried thereby and adapted to make connection with opposite terminals of the sources when the said movable work-electrode advances, as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, substantially as described, in an electric metal-working apparatus, of a transformer one terminal of whose secondary carries or is connected to one workelectrode of the apparatus, an opposite workelectrode movable to and from the first and disconnected from the secondary when moved away, and means for connecting it temporarily to the opposite terminal of the transformer secondary as the movable electrode advances, as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination in an electric metalworking apparatus, of a transformer, a workelectrode connected to one terminal of the transformer, a circuit making and breaking contact carried by the other terminal thereof, an opposite work-electrode movable to and from the first, and a circuit making and breaking contact carried thereby and adapted to engage with the corresponding contact connected to the other terminal of the transformer, as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination in an electric metalworking apparatus, of two or more transformers having their secondary bars massed or connected at one terminal to a work contact or electrode of the apparatus, an opposite work contact or electrode movable to and from the first but disconnected from the transformer secondaries when in retracted position, and means for electrically connecting the same temporarily with the opposite terminals of said transformer secondaries when the movable electrode is advanced, as and for the purpose described.

(3. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination, substantially as described, of two work-electrodes adapted to squeeze or compress the work between them, a source of electric energy with one terminal of which one of said electrodes is connected, and means for connecting the other electrode temporarily and directly with the other terminal of said source when it moves forward to compress the work and for disconnecting it when moved backward to free the work.

7. The combination substantially as described, in an electric metal-working apparatus, of two work-electrodes adapted to compress or squeeze the work between them, two or more sources of electric energy having their terminals of one polarity massed or as sembled to form a common terminal with which one of said electrodes is connected, and circuit closers and breakers connecting with and carried by the opposite contact or electrode into and out of connection with the opposite terminals of said sources as it moves forward to compress the work and backward to release the same.

8. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination substantially as described, of two metal-working electrodes adapted to squeeze the work between them and having cavities or depressions adapted to receive a portion of the work, an independent mechanical work-holder adapted to support the remainder of the work, a source or sources of electric energy connected at one terminal to one of said electrodes, and means for connecting and disconnecting the opposite terminal of said source or sources with the opposite electrode as the same moves backward and forward.

9. In an electric metal-Working apparatus, the combination, substantially as described,

of two work-electrodes 0 and 13, adapted to receive and compress the hub of a wheel between them, a number of transformer secondaries having their terminals assembled or massed in electrical connection with one of said electrodes, circuit making and breaking contacts connected with the opposite workclect-rode and adapted to make and break connection with the opposite terminals of said transformer secondaries, a frame sustaining the transformer, and a wheel-chuck mounted upon said frame for presenting the wheel to the electrodes.

10. lhe combination in an electric metalworking apparatus, of the work-electrodes G and 13, the secondary bars assembled or arranged with one terminal of each in connection with the lower contact 6, a series of contact-combs mounted on the opposite terminals of the secondarybars, and corresponding contact-arms carried by arms extending from the upper electrode 13, and adapted to engage with the combs carried by the terminals of the secondary bars, as and for the purpose described.

11. In an electric metal-working apparatus, the combination, substantially as described, of the fixed electrode 0, and the movable electrode 13, adapted to hold the hub of a wheel.

between them, a transformer the secondary bar of which is connected at one terminal to one of said electrodes, and a movable switchcontact carried by the other electrode and adapted to make and break connection with the opposite terminal of said secondary bar.

12. The combination in an electric metalworking apparatus, of one or more transformer secondary bars arranged at one side of the work, a work-electrode 6, forming one terminal of one or more of said secondary bars and having a depression at its center adapted to receive a part of the work, and a second work-electrode 13, having a corresponding depression and adapted to press the work between it and the opposite electrode 6, said electrode 13, being provided with a contact which moves into and out of connection with the other terminal of said one or more secondary bars as electrode 13, moves toward and away from the opposite elect-rode.

Signed at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, this 15th day of June, A. D. 1891.

CHARLES E. llARTllAN.

Witnesses:

WARREN B. LEWIS, ARTHUR F. CARY. 

